The Central Bank of Jordan is open for business Sunday through Thursday from 8:00 am to 4:00 pm.

:: What are the periodical publications issued by the Central Bank of Jordan?

The Central Bank of Jordan issues the following documents:

The Monthly Statistical Bulletin.

The Monthly Report on Recent Monetary and Economic Developments in Jordan (Arabic).

The Annual Report (Arabic and English).

The Reserve Template.

Annual Statistical Data.

:: What is meant by monetary policy?

Monetary policy is the set of procedures and measures undertaken by the CBJ to manage interest rates and monetary base. The aim of this policy is to provide the proper volume of domestic liquidity that is consistent with the real economic activity on one side, and to maintain the monetary stability on the other side.

:: What is the exchange rate policy of Jordan?

Since October 1995, Jordan has adopted the pegged exchange rate system, whereby the Jordanian Dinar is pegged to the U.S Dollar at an average price of 709 files per Dollar. As for the exchange rate of the Jordanian Dinar against the other major currencies, it is determined according to the developments of the exchange rates of these currencies against the U.S Dollar in international financial markets.

:: What is the interest rate policy of Jordan?

Since February 1990, the CBJ adopted a floating policy with respect to both debit and credit market interest rates. Consequently, the market forces (supply & demand) determines market interest rates in Jordan. The CBJ provides signals, about interest rates to licensed banks through its indirect monetary policy, using different instruments.

:: What is meant by the Dinar is a convertible currency?

The full convertibility of the Dinar means abolishing all restrictions imposed on foreign currency transactions, whether such transactions are of current nature and / or capital one.

:: What is meant by money supply or domestic liquidity?

Domestic liquidity represents the quantity of money available for financing economic activity. Money supply, in its narrow definition (M1) is the currency in circulation plus JD demand deposits of the private sector (resident), public institutions, and financial institutions at the CBJ and licensed banks. Adding FC demand deposits as well as time and saving deposits in both JD and FC at the banking system for the private sector (resident), public institutions, non – banking financial institutions, and deposits of other financial institution at the CBJ only, we obtain the money supply in its broad definition (M2).

:: What is meant by balance of payments?

The balance of payments is a statistical statement that summarizes the economic transactions of an economy with the rest of the world over a specific time period.

The balance of payments consists of the following tow major accounts:

Current Account, which includes:

Trade Balance.

Services Account.

Income Account.

Current Transfers.

Capital and Financial account, which includes:

Financial Account.

Capital Account.

:: What is meant by inflation and how can it be measured?

Inflation is a rise in the general price level over a specific period of time. Inflation can be measured through the following two indices:

Consumer Price Index (CPI) which measures the general price level of a specified basket consists of the major consumer goods and services on which a consumer spends his income. This basket comprises nearly 460 goods and service items that are produced domestically or imported from abroad.

GDP Deflator (GDP) which measures the general price level of all goods and services produced domestically including consumption, intermediate, and capital goods. Clearly, the definition of the GDP deflator is wider than that of the CPI, but it does not cover or count for the price of imported goods and services.

:: What is meant by gross domestic product (GDP)?

The GDP measures the value of all final goods and services produced in an economy during a period of time, usually a year. The GDP may be valued at basic prices (cost value) or at market prices by adding net taxes on products. Also, the GDP may be valued at current prices or real prices. When GDP is valued at the average market prices during a certain year, the GDP at current market prices is obtained. On the other hand, when the GDP is valued at prices prevailed at a base year, we reach at real GDP or GDP at constant prices. GNP, however, comprises GDP at current market prices, plus net factor income from abroad (the difference between income inflows from residents abroad and income outflows from nonresidents in the reporting country).

:: What are the most important Arab, regional and international institutions that the Central Bank of Jordan has a relationship with?

The CBJ has a strong relationships with many Arab, regional and international institutions, as the CBJ represents Jordan in those institutions as a governor or alternate governor. Furthermore, the CBJ shares the equity of such institutions, participates in their annual meetings and benefits from their credit facilities.

These major institutions are:

International Monetary Fund.

Arab Monetary Fund.

Islamic Development Bank group which incorporates the Islamic Development Bank, the Islamic Corporation for the Development of the Private Sector, and the Islamic Corporation for the Insurance of Investment and Export Credit.

Inter-Arab Investment Guarantee Corporation.

:: How can I obtain the definitions of the leading economic and statistical indicators?

The definitions of the main economic and statistical indicators can be obtained by referring to the “Guide to Methodology and Statistical Concepts” stated in the CBJ Monthly Statistical Bulletin. This guide includes some definitions of the terms mentioned in the tables of money and banking, public finance, internal and external public debt, external sector, and output and prices.